The invention is directed to a programmable hearing aid unit having function parts, such as current source, microphone, amplifier unit, earphone as well as a programming circuit arranged in a housing, the latter being connectable to electrical contacts at an external data generating means, particularly an external programming unit, via a socket at the housing side for being supplied with setting data. DE-C-41 09 306, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,540 discloses a hearing aid of this type.
DE-U-88 00 629 discloses an electrical hearing aid unit that comprises a socket part having electrical tip jacks that are conductively connected to a PC motherboard or the like and that are connectable to the external data generating means with mating electrical plug pins of a plug part. A plug part of the external data generating means can be introduced into the socket part provided with tip jack contacts or wiper contacts for the purpose of setting the transfer or transmission functions of the hearing aid. In addition to a programming socket, a volume control, what is referred to as an MTO switch (for switching the hearing aid to a microphone mode, for switching over to a telephone mode/induction coil mode and for switching the hearing aid means to an off/zero position), as well as an actuator or regulator switch for setting the tone control means or the like are also provided at the housing of the known hearing aid.
EP-A-0 064 042 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,481 discloses a hearing aid wherein the parameters of a plurality of different ambient situations are stored in a memory. By actuating a switch, for example, the first group of parameters is called in and, via a control unit, controls a signal processor inserted between microphone and earphone, this signal processor then setting the first transfer or transmission function intended for a provided environment. Via what is referred to as a situation switch, all programmed transfer or transmission functions can be successively called in by the hearing aid wearer until the transfer or transmission function which suits the hearing aid wearer has been found. On the other hand, an automatic adaptation is also provided when the user moves, for example, from a noisy environment into a quiet environment or vice versa. For programming the memory of the hearing aid, the hearing aid is connected to an external programming unit via an electrical line.
DE-A-30 32 311 discloses a hearing aid having a reception part for receiving wirelessly transmitted signals, whereby the hearing aid is provided with externally accessible contact elements such that the reception part comprises at least one receiver electrode and contact elements which can be brought into engagement with the contact elements of the hearing aid in order to keep the receiver electronics in electrical communication with the circuit of the hearing aid. The contact elements of the hearing aid are thus designed as sockets and the contact elements of the receiver part are designed as plug pins. Additional switch elements are provided at the housing of the hearing aid for switching the hearing aid on and off as well as for controlling volume.
In the programmable hearing aid disclosed by DE-A-40 31 132, the programming contacts are optionally utilized as an audio input. For that purpose, an electronic switch is provided which is controlled by a memory module. The switch is switched on or off by transmitting specific data signals to the memory module.
Given hearing aid means to be worn at the head, particularly behind-the-ear units but quite specifically given extremely small hearing aids to be worn in the ear or in the auditory canal, there is only a small amount of space available for the arrangement of the operating and switch elements, etc.